Exploitation rampant in Malayalam cine world, judicial panel tells Kerala govt
Justice K Hema, a former judge of the Kerala High Court, has said there are serious problems in the film industry and a proper legislation was needed to address some of these issues.
Justice Hema Commission, appointed by the Kerala government two years ago after the alleged sexual assault of a leading actor of Malayalam cinema, has found serious discrimination and exploitation in film industry, people familiar with the development said.
Justice K Hema, a former judge of the Kerala High Court, submitted the report to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday. Other members of the panel are senior actor Sharadha and former bureaucrat K B Valsala Kumari.
After submitting the report, she said there are serious problems in the film industry and a proper legislation was needed to address some of these issues. She suggested many measures including setting up of a tribunal headed by a district judge to address these issues.
The panel is learnt to have cited serious gender discrimination and exploitation in the industry and presence of various lobbies to harass actors and impose undeclared bans on them. It also mentioned the growing use of drug substances and other undesirable practices prevailing in some of the locations.
The panel was constituted by the Pinarayi Vijayan government in 2017 after Women in Cinema Collective, an outfit of women artists, approached the government complaining about serious problems being faced women artists.
The representation was made after the February 2017 attack on a prominent actor who was allegedly abducted and assaulted by a gang in a moving car.
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